1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computerized yo-yo toy. The computerized yo-yo comprises of devices that entertain the yo-yo player with programmable lights, sounds and other features, which operate according to the computerized yo-yo motion and states. In addition, the computerized yo-yo may comprise of devices that control the movement of the computerized yo-yo, such as an electric clutch and an electric motor.
2. Background Art
Yo-yo is one of the oldest toys. It is believed to have originated in China, but the first recorded yo-yo toy appears in Greek paintings circa 500 BC. Modern yo-yo toys use the same concept as ancient yo-yo toys but may be made of modern materials (e.g. plastic or metal alloys), may have different shapes (e.g., a butterfly shaped yo-yo) and may incorporate modern mechanical technologies (e.g., rotating ball bearings).
Some commercially available yo-yo toys may incorporate electronic components in addition to the mechanical components. An existing yo-yo toy includes a battery, lights and a mechanism for turning the lights on and off for added entertainment. This concept and some of its more advanced variants, such as adding audio playing, LCD displays, control and feedback, etc., are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,327,518, 5,145,444, 5,356,328, 5,791,966, 6,287,193, 6,634,922 and 6,695,670.
Some commercially available yo-yo toys may also incorporate improved mechanical components that enhance the entertaining experience of playing with the yo-yo toys. For example, a currently marketed yo-yo includes a centrifugal mechanical clutch that opens when the yo-yo spins very fast, allowing long “sleep” (the fast spinning of the yo-yo at the end of the string) and automatic “wake-up” (the fast return of the yo-yo to the player hand from the “sleep” position). Yet other advanced combinations of mechanical and electrical components that allow enhanced control of the yo-yo motions are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,448,934 and 8,187,052.
The current invention describes a computerized yo-yo that incorporates advanced electrical, mechanical and electromechanical components that provide further entertaining features and therefore further enhance the entertaining experience of playing with the yo-yo toy.